The ideal exercise combination for delivering on the question – how to reduce stomach fat – involves a combination of cardiovascular and resistance training. To cover the cardiovascular portion of that equation you should be doing some form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
What, though, about the resistance portion of your workout program? Does it require that you join a gym and start pounding away with the weights? Not necessarily. Although weight training is a fantastic way to get in a resistance workout, not everybody has the opportunity, time or finances to make use of a gym membership. Fortunately we’ve all got a perfectly fine substitute that we carry with us all the time – our own body.
A well constructed bodyweight resistance program will push all of the buttons that weight training does with an extra bonus – it allows for the ultimate in convenience. What follows is a tried and proven 5 step bodyweight program that you can perform anywhere, anytime. It’ll build strength, leanness and burn a ton of calories – all in less than 12 minutes.
Step No.1: Push Ups
Set yourself on the ground, face down with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Your feet should be touching. Keeping your body in a straight line, rise up so that your arms are fully extended. Tense your buttocks and tighten your abs to prevent your butt from lifting you into a ‘v’ position. Look straight ahead rather than down. Now steadily lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. When your chest touches the floor, explode back up to the start position.
Sets and Reps – Set an initial target and keep going until you reach it. If your target is 25, you may get 13 on the first set. Rest for a count of 10 then keep going. Maybe you’ll get to 20. After a 10 second rest power out those last five.
Step No. 2: Wall Sit
Sit with your back against a wall, just as if you were sitting in a chair. Your feet should be shoulder width apart with your legs at right angles and thighs parallel to the ground. Spread your arms out along the wall at shoulder height. Hold this position for a set time.
Sets and Reps: Start with a 30-second hold and aim to extend to between 2-3 minutes.
Step No. 3: Modified Pull ups
Set up a bar or equivalent between two uprights so that it is positioned horizontally at waist height. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip and lower yourself so that you are hanging underneath it with feet extended out. Now, with your back arched, pull up so that your chin touches the bar. Lower to full extension and repeat.
Sets and Reps: 2 sets of 12-15 repetitions. After 8 weeks you will be able to begin doing full pull ups on a chin-up bar or ceiling beam.
Step No. 4: Modified Pull Up Curls
Start in the same position as the previous exercise, except that this time you will have an underhand grip and your hands will be just 6 inches apart. Pull up to bring your chin to the bar. Squeeze the biceps in the top position. Lower and repeat
Sets and Reps: 2 sets of 8-10 repetitions. After 4 weeks, add in a 30 second static hold at the top position at the end of each set.
Step No.5: Reverse Dips
Position yourself in front of a low bench facing away with your hands behind you resting on the bench. Your hands should be about 6 inches apart and your legs extended in front of you so that your body forms a straight line. From this position, bend at the elbows to lower your core area towards the floor. From a bottom position power back up, focusing on your triceps to do the work.
Sets and Reps: 2 sets of 12-15 reps. Over time increase to 25 reps per set.
Conclusion
Each of these exercises targets a major muscle group in your body. Combined into a continuous routine they work together synergistically to work every muscle group in your body as well as chewing through calories while you’re working out. If you are serious about working out how to reduce stomach fat, then by alternating days between HIIT Cardio and Bodyweight resistance training you’ll be providing the optimum conditions to achieve the lean, defined, athletic look that so many strive for and never achieve.
